


Outback Mate

by mozzieswife



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Lion is an asshole but he learns to be nice, M/M, Missions, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28645728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mozzieswife/pseuds/mozzieswife
Summary: I wrote this for a friend to read during a 24-hour charity stream.  Basically the events of Team Rainbow gathering a group of operators to invade Hanley's Roadhouse in Australia due to the growing threat that has been detected there.  However, this mission is not only meant for operators to work together, but for a few of them to get a little bit closer.
Relationships: Max "Mozzie" Goose/Olivier "Lion" Flament
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19





	1. The Roadhouse

“So, is this your first time on a mission?”

Max Goose found himself in the crowded room filled with conversation. It hadn’t been long since he had been invited to join Team Rainbow, which had been proven itself to be one of the biggest opportunities that he had been honored to receive. However, despite his prior experience, he was feeling the nerves of yet another stressful mission ahead of him. Not to mention, it wasn’t helping that the medical expert from GIGN was already asking him questions.

“Yeah, it is,” answered Max. “I ain’t gonna lie - I’m feelin’ pretty fuckin’ nervous right about now.” 'Nosy bastard.'

Doc gave a small chuckle in response, “Bien sûr, but its operations like this where you just have to get through it. Just always remember that you were recruited for a reason; we all were, and you’re one of the best around if you’re in this room.”

Max gave a humble nod, allowing his hands to loosen their grip as he began to relax.

“Yeah… Thanks, Doc. Means a whole lot to hear you say that.”

With that, Max started distracting himself with other thoughts - where was Gridlock? Was she recruited for this mission? Maybe she was running late or was meant to stay back? Would Rainbow really call in a new operator to a mission without the partner they were recruited with? 'Damn fine way to help your new members break the ice,' Max thought.

It wasn’t long until a woman with long red hair tied into a braid walked into the room, carrying a folder with, what he assumed to be, the ‘confidential’ files that she would use to debrief the team. As soon as she made herself present at the podium, the conversations that were present began to quiet down, eventually falling into silence as she began to speak.

“I’m assuming you all know that we have a pretty serious matter on our hands to have this many operators called to this briefing,” she said as she took a moment to flip open the folder she had brought before continuing. “I ask that you all listen before there are any questions, suggestions, or criticism. I’ll begin.”

Hanley's Roadhouse, codenamed as Outback, was the next location that Team Rainbow was heading towards. The once multi-service station for travelers was slowly becoming a criminal hotspot that was housing notorious and villainous fiends - it wasn't just your friendly neighborhood dine n' go anymore, as the ones who were now presiding there had made sure they gave a cold welcome to whoever happened to approach. Barricades that had slowly grown in size over periods of days and the increasing number of figures with dark clothing were shown on the satellite images that the team had been watching for intel, giving a sign that there needed to be an interference and it needed to happen soon. 

"So," came the voice of Jordan Trace, a member of the American FBI unit, "we're looking at going all the way to Australia, huh? Who knew that this bullshit would be all the way over there."

Eliza Cohen, one of Jordan's colleagues, gave him a look of annoyance as his lack of poise was already showing through his choice of expression, "as I was saying, we've been watching this location for a period of time now - four weeks to be exact? As shown, I think it can be assumed that there is enough evidence to show that inference by our team is necessary.” 

She paused, taking a breath as she placed her hand on her forehead, rubbing the bridge of her nose while collecting her thoughts.

“I’ve decided that it would be best if we send in two teams. One team will be oriented on offense and the other focusing on defense. I feel that it would be the best option to have the attacking group of you go in and sweep the premise clean of any enemies, whereas the defense will be sent in to hold the line. This will give us the ability to make sure that we are able to wipe out any reinforcements they might have and also confiscate any threats they may possess – this includes anything ranging from weapons to – “

“I think we understand what you’re saying, Eliza,” interrupted Jordan as he waved his hand indifferently. “I think it’s time you cut to the chase so we know who’s going, what they will be doing… You know, the actual important stuff.”

This gesture made Eliza give a deep sigh in response, shaking her head with distaste.

“Despite Jordan being an asshat and not being able to keep his mouth shut, is there anyone else who has any questions or concerns regarding our plan?” 

There was a small raise in volume as the operators began murmuring to each other their thoughts - it was soon silent again as each operator individually gave their approval of Eliza’s approach for this mission. There were a few questions that were raised, but the agent was able to answer them with ease and settle any confusion that might’ve been provoked from the way she spoke. She closed the folder that she had originally opened and looked across the room once more.

“Are there any more details that I missed? Or any more questions that I can answer?”

One man stepped forward, waving his hand respectfully to get the attention of Eliza’s eyes. He had reddish hair with fair skin, blue eyes, and arms crossed over his chest that was all accompanied by a pair of slacks and a fairly un-wrinkled dress shirt he had thrown on in time for the meeting. It was Olivier Flament, a member of the CBRN and GIGN, who was known for his inclusion in disease control and outbreak cases. Nevertheless, he was still an important asset to the team and had an opinion that was just as valued as everyone else’s - he was being a lot more respectful than how Jordan went about sharing his thoughts and Eliza found appreciation in that.

“With all this talk of teams, I’m assuming we are doing the standard of five operators per group and who those operators will be are in this room right now,” Olivier took a moment to look around the room before his gaze settled onto the female agent once more, “I think the question I’m trying to ask now is how we will go about with these teams? Are we expecting to substitute out? Switch? I don’t know if I explained myself quite well, and I can always try to elaborate more if necessary.”

Eliza nodded while taking Olivier’s question into consideration, her face showing the contemplation she was using to form an answer that would suffice.

“I’m glad you mentioned that, Lion. I feel that the best way to operate with these teams will be creating some sort of partner or, in simpler terms, a ‘buddy’ system,” Eliza spoke as she reached to the folder, pulled out a clean sheet of paper, and began to write, “you’ll be grouped into teams of two - an attacker and a defender. As we discussed before, the attacker will go in first to wipe any enemies and the defender will follow behind to hold the line. Extraction for the attackers will be initiated as soon as our defenders are settled, and, when the mission is deemed complete, the defenders will then be extracted from the site as well.”

She finished writing on the piece of paper she had retrieved from the folder and held it up to show the operators that were in the room - it had the bold letters Teams for Hanley’s Roadhouse at the top.

“I think since we are all present, it would be in our favor to sort this out now. If any of you have any preferences, please let me know now, and I can try to accommodate those requests.”

Maxim, an operator originating from Spetsnaz was one of the first to raise their hands, “Fuze would be preferable - we do come from the same organization after all.”

Eliza gave a nod to Maxim’s request, then turned her attention to the paper she had in front of her and began to write once again, “anyone else?”

After Maxim’s request, only two more operators gave preferences for what they thought their ideal teammates would be, leaving four waiting to be grouped. Eliza asked the remaining operators if they had any special requests or favors for her to consider, but eventually took it upon herself to sort the remaining operators into teams herself.

“For the last two groups, we have Sledge and Jäger. Then, Lion and Mozzie. So, the groups we have decided on are as follows: Fuze and Kapkan, Thermite and Doc, myself and Pulse, Sledge and Jäger, and Lion and Mozzie. Is everyone in agreement?”

The group gave Eliza their individual notions of agreement to the groups she had read off, and, with that response, the agent took the piece of paper she had written on and slipped it back into the folder from where she had pulled it from. 

“Well, I think that we can wrap things up. Thank you all for coming today and discussing this matter. I’m glad that you all were very cooperative with me and my planning for this mission, and I look forward to seeing you all bright and early,” Eliza smiled as she gave a wave and began walking towards the door of the meeting room, “make sure you all get some good rest!”

As Eliza left, her colleagues left with her, yet a majority of the remaining operators stayed behind to chat and were talking to each other about the mission and anything else that came to mind. Max looked around the room as Doc, the medic who had been sitting next to him, had moved over to the crowd that began to gather in the center of the room. He was engaged in what seemed to be an exciting conversation with Jäger, a german pilot from GSG 9. Sledge eventually joined them and began conversing with them as well, which pushed the australian cyclist to get off his ass and extend himself to his teammate he knew nothing about.

'Lion was the name, right? The one with the slacks. Might as well introduce myself since he’s been definitely takin’ the effort to extend himself to me. Already seems like an asshole.'

Max hit himself for that last comment - why was he already judging someone that he barely knew? He was already forgetting the basic moral that everyone sought to live by: treat everyone the way you would like to be treated. Eventually, he got himself to get onto his feet and approach the CBRN member that was leaning against a wall that was near the door to the meeting room. He noticed as he approached that Olivier’s blue eyes were focused on the crowd that had gathered in the middle of the room, observing the topics of conversation that were being discussed. Nevertheless, the focus he had on the operators didn’t take his eyes away from the short stature approaching him - the new recruit from Australia.

“‘Ey there, mate,” said Max as he extended his arm in greeting, “it’s a pleasure. Reckon ya might know me as Mozzie, but you can call me Max. Looks like we’re gonna be working together, so I thought-”

The look that Max received from who he was being partnered with made him pause quickly - it was hard to describe the look that the frenchman from the CBRN unit was giving him. Surprise? Shock? Disgust? Whatever it was, Max knew it wasn’t an expression that showed he was happy. The response that Olivier gave him short after solidified Max’s thoughts to the look he was portraying.

“Ah, I see. I am aware that you are the new recruit. Operator name is Lion, but you can feel free to call me Olivier,” said the taller man as his harsh expression had softened, “I feel that this introduction is necessary to also inform you of a few important things that you should be aware of for this mission.”

“Yeah, of course. I was thinking-”

Olivier was quick to speak, interrupting Max, “I think this a good place to let you know where we both stand,” he spoke strongly, as his expression became harsh once more, “know that this mission is not about your friends, family, or whatever connections you may have. This is about completing the mission itself, and I will not hesitate to leave you behind if you leave room for mistakes. Same if you get hurt or injured - mark my words, I will let you bleed out if you end up getting yourself in a mess.”

Max was caught off-guard by the intensity of the man standing before him - he understood the idea of this mission being about, well, the mission, yet the way he carelessly said he would let his teammate bleed out if the situation came to that severity struck a nerve. He had no rooms for any mess-ups and the blue eyes of the tall, red-headed frenchman that were looking down upon him solidified that fact.

“One more thing,” said Olivier, snapping Max from his thoughts, “don’t get in my way. If you choose to, just know I’ll make sure you learn to know your place. I’m glad we had this moment to chat - hopefully, we won’t run into any issues when the time comes for the mission. Adieu.”

As Lion said those final words, he left for the door of the meeting room. Not only was Max left staring in disbelief as the CBRN member left, but the remaining operators from earlier were looking in his direction with looks of guilt and concern. Doc had already begun to approach him, placing a hand on his shoulder and attempting his best to distract him from the display that his colleague presented.

“Je suis désolé... Lion can be, how do I put this, quite the ego at times. Don’t let it get to you, we’ve all had our fair share of moments with him. Come over here, you can talk with us,” the medic from GIGN said, reaching for Max’s forearm and pulling him towards the other operators. He tried engaging in the conversation, but found himself falling back into his thoughts.

'Well, guess I can say I had better judgement. He really was an asshole.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation notes (I know my grammar may be off, but I used 5 different dictionaries to attempt and get these right, my apologies if they are still wrong):
> 
> Bien sûr - of course  
> Je suis désolé - I'm sorry


	2. Preparation

Olivier’s alarm that he had set for 4 AM went off on his watch as he unlocked his equipment locker and began putting on his uniform. He had contemplated wearing less than the heavy hazmat suit that he had for every other mission, yet his doubts got the best of him and he continued to go with his signature vest. With no intel on what enemy they were facing or what they might possess, Olivier had a feeling he’d get bit on the ass for being underprepared. Either way, he was already feeling fatigue from a night of less than stellar sleep. Regardless, there was no time to mope about it now, the mission came first.

They were leaving by 4:30 and were planning on reaching their location by nightfall. Eliza had sent an electronic briefing via text discussing the time they were expected to get there and how the operation was to go. Olivier had taken it upon himself to watch the briefing multiple times to memorize the diagrams and maps she had drawn out - he even took out his phone while he was getting into his uniform and mounted it against the watch sitting in his locker and began to play the video once again aloud.

Eliza’s voice played and began to echo throughout the locker room, “...Lion and Mozzie will be sent in first, as Lion is able to handle anything that could be toxic - whether it be physical or airborne. Mozzie will stay back and allow for Lion to clear the area, signaling the other attackers with an EE-ONE-D scan…”

As he finished putting himself into uniform, he reached down to grab his bag and placed it on the bench in front of him, throwing last minute items he deemed necessary for the mission inside. He even included a few extra magazines for his guns, as well as some more stun grenades and a breach charge that could speed up entry. Olivier kept himself focused as he continued to pack and make sure he was prepared, until he heard the sound of an opening door and running footsteps enter the room. Olivier paid no mind to it, as he looked at his sleeve and began to calibrate the electronic device that operated EE-ONE-D - a scanning drone that helped to gain location of enemies based on their movement. 

Olivier was a man to not be disturbed, until the locker room was no longer peaceful as the running footsteps had turned into the obnoxious opening and closing of metal, locker doors and the frightened tone of what he soon recognized to be his partner: Max.

“Aw, shit! And I’m ‘bouta be late for this son of a bitch!” Olivier heard him say, “first mission in and I’m already gettin’ behind…”

Olivier got up from his seat and took a deep sigh - of course his partner had to be the one who was going to be late and not ready for their task. 'Merdeux, it always has to be me, doesn’t it?' As he rolled his eyes, he began walking over to where Max was making a ruckus and saw him rummaging through his locker, grabbing his weapons and bringing out… A mirror? Max had reached again into his locker and pulled out a small, white plastic jar. Olivier watched as he quickly screwed off the cap and grabbed an obscene amount with his fingers and started applying it to the front of his hair, slicking it back with ease and skill that Olivier found to be impressive. What was the most amusing part was the fact that after Max had finished, he gave himself a wink in the mirror, a quick compliment, and then put everything away. The australian also grabbed a pair of aviator-style sunglasses and put them onto his face, while grabbing a motorcycle helmet with a mic-equipped and the name ‘Mozzie’ messily scrawled on the back. 

“Nice helmet,” Olivier stated as he watched the short-statured man prepare himself for the long day ahead, “is your name on the back so you don't forget?”

Max jumped hearing Olivier's voice, not noticing that he had been watching him for some time. He had jumped back as a response from instinct and had moved his hand towards his pistol - ready to draw if it was necessary.

Max took a breath of relief, recognizing the person who was with him wasn't a threat, “Holy shit, Lion,” he paused, taking another breath, “Glad I realized who you were before I pulled, mate.”

Olivier had also backed away slightly from the response that Max had given to him, especially since the man before him had almost drawn his gun and fired at him.

“Same, but I highly doubt you would hit. Especially since, as said before, you have your name labeled on the back of your head in order to remember.”

Max gave a small chuckle to Olivier's comment, as he turned back to his locker and continued gathering what he needed. 

“Ya know, you're really funny.” said Max as he began to slip on his vest, “I bet all the ladies think you're a real charmer. Especially when ya choose to be a real dickhead.”

Olivier cocked an eyebrow at the bold statement made by the new operator standing in front of him. He wasn't exactly insulted, but he bit his lip knowing that his partner wasn't going to sit back and listen to what he said or ordered. Olivier realized it wasn't the fact he felt insulted, yet it was the idea that he wasn't going to be able to control what his teammate did, which was refreshing yet anxiety-inducing.

“You can call me all the names you want, but it's still not going to change the fact that I'm going to be the one leaving you for dead when you miss your shots.”

Again, Max gave a chuckle to the remark made by his teammate and reached over his head to slide his helmet on.

“Well, if I'm being honest with ya, Lion… I'd rather be left for dead than spend my time with a condescending asshole like yourself,” Max shut his locker with force and turned his head to stare at his partner, “you really should check yourself, mate. I didn't do a thing, yet here ya are givin’ me a run.”

Olivier rolled his eyes once again as he stared down upon the short, australian man before him, “you want to know why I’m giving you a hard time? It's because you shouldn't be here. It was a mistake on Eliza's part to include a new operator who hasn't even been here for two weeks to be sent on such a crucial mission such as this. Sure, call me an asshole or any other names you might please, but know that you'll understand my justification when you are found dying on the site - crois-moi.”

Olivier turned away from Max and began walking away, yet he stopped when he heard the Australian raise his voice again in response.

“I don't understand French for shit, but all I'm tryin’ to say is Eliza recruited me for this mission for a reason,” said Max as he made sure his vest and belt were fastened, “I'm from Australia, pretty obvious if ya couldn't tell, and I used to go to Hanley's with my family. I know the place like the back of my hand and Eliza wanted my knowledge for this so she knew how to approach it, not only for herself, but for everyone involved as well. Oh, and if you're curious, those maps on those briefings? Drawn by yours truly - so, you can fuck off with that bad attitude for all I care.”

Olivier was taken aback by the colorful language the man chose to use, as he was not used to the high amount of swearing and vulgarity meant with it. He laughed a bit at the fact this was the first time he had heard someone swear so much in a short amount of time, however, he realized that maybe he was wrong about the way he treated Max. It wasn't his fault he was here, and Eliza had good judgement when it came to planning, as most of their missions had become success stories. Sure, he wasn't happy that he was getting partnered up with an operator that was newly recruited, but he had to know that he just had to put his head down, focus, and work with the team. At the same time, he hated being wrong, but came to the conclusion that he was, in fact, being an ass.

Olivier turned back to look at him once again, “I didn’t mean to look down upon your abilities as an asset to the team or as an operator. Also, I shouldn’t have taken my frustrations upon you - look, I just want to be able to settle this matter and be able to come back in time for tea… Or a beer. I’ll try my best to not come off as, what you said, an ‘asshole’... Désolé.”

“All good, mate. I just didn’t understand the attitude you were givin’ when I just work here,'' Max said as he threw his hands up, mockingly posing as if he was in surrender, “also, mind telling me what the hell you just said? Maybe you can teach me some French so I can actually understand Doc.”

Olivier chuckled at the playful response Max had given him, “you mean désolé? It means sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation notes:
> 
> Merdeux - shit  
> Crois-moi - mark my words


End file.
